~   Meet Jim Spruill   ~

                   

New Life Development was born out of a vision that, I believe, has come straight from the heart of God. The Lord deals individually with each of us, perfecting our inner man while preparing us to accept His divine purpose that He wants to fulfill through our lives here on this earth. Even before we are consciously aware of what He is doing and why He is moving us in a particular direction, we begin to recognize that our desires in life are changing and our priorities and concerns are being transformed, actually conformed to His own.

Just a few years ago, I found myself broken before God and almost overwhelmed by the conditions of abject poverty and need that surrounded my church and permeated this community. I had been assisting poor and homeless families in the Hampton Roads area, witnessing their struggles, fears, and pain firsthand. The situation appeared to be worsening faster than local ministries, secular organizations, and governmental agencies could act to alleviate or deter it. Relief was designed and being made available only in the form of "band-aiding"--that is, supporting people temporarily and helping them to survive from one crisis to the next. So many of them were still falling through the cracks in our welfare system. I felt that our best and most time-consuming efforts were fundamentally inneffective on a long-term scale. The application of financial bandges and limited Scriptural counsel during last-ditch attempts at intervention into severe or chronic problems became more frustrating over the months, especially when the same persons continued to ask for help on a regular basis. I knew that Jesus, the living Word of God, was the answer to all of life's difficulties, but superficial and transient approaches missed too much in translating our beliefs into practical, concrete solutions.

Then one morning, the Lord spoke very clearly to me: " Tell the people to look to Me; don't look to the government. I am the Deliverer."

There was the critical element that meant the difference between merely existing by dependency on others and living prosperously in God's abundance. Individuals have to know personally and develop an intimate relationship with El Shaddai, Jehovah Jireh, Almighty God the Provider who must become Lord over every facet of their humanity: Spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically, socially, and financially. Such a transition requires from them the complete restructuring of their lives by a sincere commitment to Jesus Christ and His Word. It demands of us our consistent dedication to stand with them during seasons of adversity, from the onset of trouble until the realization of their breakthrough, as well as to anticipate and share with them occasions of joy and success.

Understanding the mind and the ways of God and receiving guidance from the Holy Spirit are a lifelong process. Obviously, then, teaching Biblical principles and promises to poverty-stricken people and leading them into the knowledge of the Lord will be a gradual, patient procedure. Yet it is necessary for us to constantly remember that we do not operate in our own intellect or ability, but in the grace, wisdom, and power of God who has given us this ministry and equipped us for victory in it.

The background for this introduction includes primarily our work thus far, the majority of which has occured in downtown Norfolk. In addition, my own past employment and ministerial experience are also relevant to the conception and establishment of New Life Development.

I had achieved top managerial positions with prominent department stores when the Lord led me to enter business for myself as a general contractor. The industrial training and skills that I acquired in the fields of home repair, bookkeeping, and personnel supervision have proven invaluable to my meeting the responsibilities as Executive Director of NLD for administrating this corporation, organizing a cooperative staff, and locating client work referrals with various companies.

Later God called me into full-time pastoring and instructed me to minister to the poor. Norfolk Evangelistic Church provided a shelter for the homeless during one winter season. I was transferred from my telephone prayer counseling job at the Christian Broadcasting Network in Virginia Beach to CBN's Operation Blessing office, where I helped callers obtain financial and material assistance. There I discovered the extent of services and resources currently accessible to the poor while I learned and participated in the functions of service networking, coordination, and delivery. Through my daily exposure to the oppressions of poverty, the Lord placed a great burden on my heart for men, women, and children who are deprived of opportunities to attain self-sufficiency and to develop productive, satisfying, and truly rewarding lifestyles.

The scope of this web site ranges from my initial pastoral ministry to the poor up to the present status of New Life Development. Pertinent facts about the history of our mission and plans for future expansion and accommodations will be discussed for the consideration and benefit of our readers. A collection of informative documents, program descriptions, and miscellaneous reports, records, and data will also be presented for your convenience and further reference. These supplementary items will help to clarify and explain in detail some important aspects of our progress.

The purpose of this web site is first and foremost to glorify our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the ministries of Norfolk Evangelistic Church and New Life Development, which He has created through the faithful intercession and spiritual discernment of our members, staff, directors, partners, and friends. I have chronicled in cause-and-effect associations the series of events related to NEC's and NLD's formation in order to advise and encourage others who are involved in similar urban ministries. Also, I trust that our testimony will offer hope to those who are in need of deliverance from poverty themselves.

I pray that God will convict and speak to every reader about his or her participation in the Christian church's outreach to impoverished and disadvantaged populations within our nation and among other countries throughout the world. May the Lord bless you for your interest and grant you much fervent zeal to accomplish His will in this generation.